Introduction

Poll after poll finds that fear of financial instability ranks at the top of the "Concern List" for the typical American.  In today's overly complex world, coming to grips with what we need to know and do now and in the future often seems an impossible task.  Part of the stress and anxiety that we experience is no doubt a function of the large amount of information with which we are bombarded continually.

With so much information available, could there be relatively simple guidelines and answers to our tax, legal, insurance and financial planning issues?  This is, in fact, the theme of the book.  If you implement the simple steps outlined in this publication, you will have taken a large step in solidifying your financial security.  Indeed, I will strongly advise you to make a conscious effort to keep things simple and not let concern or planning for various financial goals consume you.  Believe me, if you take the suggested, simple steps in this book, you will be a long way ahead of not just your neighbor but most well-to-do people in this country.

The maxim and direction I've given myself, "Keep It Simple Stupid", is perhaps a more appropriate guideline now than ever before.  When I first went into teaching from a highly technical practice, I was forced to renew my knowledge of basic legal and tax concepts.  It was amazing how many of the basics I had forgotten or set aside in my all-consuming practice that largely focused on specialized tax planning techniques.  I rediscovered that without a strong foundation, more elaborate planning could often be unsuccessful.  Moreover, most of us don't need the highly technical stuff.  A strong foundation, like the proverbial house made of bricks, will serve us very well and will relieve us of the need to consume our precious time chasing more detailed remedies for basic problems.

Thus, I have not simply provided you with a primer on the various subjects addressed in the title.  I truly believe that for most of us my planning tips are all that we need to implement meaningful financial security.  Therefore, take a few hours to study this book. Get a good feel for the general concepts that I am talking about.  Then follow through on implementing them via the information I provide you.

If you do these things, you will have taken the necessary steps to fundamentally protect yourself legally.  Similarly, you will have implemented fundamental, though effective, devices to legally reduce your tax liability.  Additionally, you will have protected your family in the event of your death in a cost-effective way and you will have implemented steps that will provide for your, your spouse's, your children's and your grandchildren's retirement and educational needs.

All of us can do these things.  This is not the playground of the rich by any stretch of the imagination.  Your right as an American citizen is to participate in the so-called American Dream.  But you have to do it – not someone else or the federal or state government.  Do the things suggested in this book and you will have locked up your share of that American Dream.

NOTE:  From time-to-time I will point out certain schemes that are being heavily marketed to the middle and lower class citizens of this country that I consider at least grossly inappropriate or, in some cases, first-rate scams.  These hustles take various forms, usually under the guise of tax or financial planning.  I will differentiate them from legitimate (and relatively simple) planning techniques that I will focus you on in this book.  In that process you will see that there are no "get rich quick" schemes – your financial stability will require long-term and serious planning.

Reading this book will help you obtain an excellent functional grasp of all of the topics. However, to greatly expand your use of the book, I have provided World Wide Web ("Web") links keyed to each discussion topic in the book.  These Web links will enable you to obtain great amounts of additional, free information to fine-tune the educational process.  Additionally, there has been a great deal of time spent assuring that the Web links provided to you are user friendly and specific to the topic at hand.